Think I need to start my network from scratch... Can someone walk me through the steps I need below?

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nysepete Author

Level 1

29 points

Think I need to start my network from scratch... Can someone walk me through the steps I need below?

OK -- Thanks in advance ... here goes...

I am [still] running 10.5.8

My setup [ideally] if it works the way I hope...

Time Warner Modem ----->

--> Airport Extreme --> Ethernet HardWire --> iMac

--> Airport Extreme --> Ethernet HardWire --> Samsung TV

--> Airport Extreme --> --> [Wireless] --> Airport Express --> Remote Speakers etc.

I've been down this road so many times -- but consistently following some kind of outage [unplugged for some apartment renovations etc] I get all sorts of roadblocks.

In the past I had to Delete the Network and Start Over -- and while not fun -- it is what it is.

Despite hardwiring my Express to the Extreme in this iteration -- The Express will not turn Green even once recognized in the Airport Utility.

I run it through the motions -- it says it's restarting etc -- then nada.

Also - I believe I need to adjust something for me iMac to recognize the Hardwire Ethernet as it only seems to work now Wirelessly -- which I am trying to cut down on in a jam packed NYC apartment building and multiple devices on my network.

Help! I used to be able to do this kind of thing -- I am technical and quite handy -- but I'm just tired of it not working and hampering the joy I hoped for in life!

overly dramatic -- yup ; )

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 1 Airport Extreme / 1 Airport Express / 2 iPods / 1 PC laptop /

Posted on Dec 18, 2013 9:42 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

148,619 points

Dec 18, 2013 10:12 AM in response to nysepete

Time Warner Modem ----->

--> Airport Extreme --> Ethernet HardWire --> iMac

--> Airport Extreme --> Ethernet HardWire --> Samsung TV

--> Airport Extreme --> --> [Wireless] --> Airport Express --> Remote Speakers etc.

Just to be sure, in this configuration you have a single modem provided by Time Warner. A single AirPort Extreme base station that you have both the iMac and Samsung TV connected to by Ethernet ... and a single AirPort Express used only for iTunes streaming. Is this correct?

What is the make & model of the modem and the models of each the Extreme and Express base stations?

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Answer 2

nysepete Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 20, 2013 3:50 AM in response to Tesserax

Yes -- 1 Time Warner Modem, 1 Airport Extreme, 1 Airport Express

AirPort Extreme 802.11n (4th Generation)

AirPort Express 802.11g

Modem: Arris TM402G/110

LinkSys 5 Port Hub: EFAH05W

Samsung TV: UN46C7000

I also would like to amend my initial setup possibility... [though if I go buy an Apple TV - the Express will go to a different location eventually]

Line 4:

--> Airport Extreme --> Ethernet HardWire --> LinkSys --> Airport Express --> Optical Out --> Stereo

and

--> Airport Extreme --> Ethernet HardWire --> LinkSys --> Samsung Smart TV

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Answer 3

nysepete Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 20, 2013 3:27 PM in response to nysepete

up

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Answer 4

Tesserax

Level 10

148,619 points

Dec 20, 2013 10:17 PM in response to nysepete

A few observations:

Only your 4G 802.11n AirPort Extreme is capable of Gigabit Ethernet connections. All other devices are limited to 100 Mbps for Ethernet.
Ethernet hubs are not very efficient. You should consider replacing it with an Ethernet switch.
You appear to have two separate Ethernet cables going from the AirPort Extreme to the Linksys hub. You only need one between these devices. The separate Ethernet cables going from the hub to Express & the Smart TV is okay.
In this configuration the Express should be reconfigured as a bridge.
If your goal is to extend the wireless range of the Extreme with the Express, both base stations should be reconfigured for a roaming network.

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Answer 5

nysepete Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 31, 2013 11:45 AM in response to Tesserax

Thanks Tesserax, so far...

OK... here goes. Some updates, and clarification and, etc.

I managed to get my Airport Express WIRELESSLY onto my network and all is well. [though it still says in the Airport Utility that it is configured for ethernet]

However -- I still am unable to get the ethernet to connect to my tv -- so I am wondering if something is awry with that wire altogether -- though I don't have any easy way to test it that I can think of.

Tesserax wrote:

A few observations:

Only your 4G 802.11n AirPort Extreme is capable of Gigabit Ethernet connections. All other devices are limited to 100 Mbps for Ethernet.

Are you saying there is no advantage to my desire to have my Express plugged directly into the Ethernet?

Ethernet hubs are not very efficient. You should consider replacing it with an Ethernet switch.

I might have another option -- I have a bunch of other Linksys stuff in a box -- let me check it all out when I get home

You appear to have two separate Ethernet cables going from the AirPort Extreme to the Linksys hub. You only need one between these devices. The separate Ethernet cables going from the hub to Express & the Smart TV is okay.

Let me restate this:

Extreme --> iMac and Linksys [2 diff wires]

Linksys [in a perfect world] --> Express and Smart TV [2 Diff Wires]

Is that more clear?

In this configuration the Express should be reconfigured as a bridge.

I actually managed to get the Express working wirelessly using some old instructions someone gave me -- they use the word "Bridge" several times when directing me -- which is how I got the wireless Express working

If your goal is to extend the wireless range of the Extreme with the Express, both base stations should be reconfigured for a roaming network.

I don't really understand that to be honest -- I am not sure how to answer. I want to have my TV on the internet... and the Express streaming music into my stereo. Is that extending? Bridging? Something else?

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Answer 6

nysepete Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 31, 2013 11:47 AM in response to Tesserax

Tesserax wrote:

If your goal is to extend the wireless range of the Extreme with the Express, both base stations should be reconfigured for a roaming network.

Looking at that link -- it shows the images as Extending the networks with add'l Extremes... can / is this the same if I subsitute an Express?

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Answer 7

Dec 31, 2013 11:53 AM in response to nysepete

Same with an AirPort Express....or a Time Capsule.

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Answer 8

nysepete Author

Level 1

29 points

Dec 31, 2013 12:09 PM in response to Bob Timmons

Bob Timmons wrote:

Same with an AirPort Express....or a Time Capsule.

Thanks Bob.

Hope Tesserax gets back to me on the rest soon! : )

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Answer 9

Tesserax

Level 10

148,619 points

Jan 1, 2014 11:56 AM in response to nysepete

Only your 4G 802.11n AirPort Extreme is capable of Gigabit Ethernet connections. All other devices are limited to 100 Mbps for Ethernet.

Are you saying there is no advantage to my desire to have my Express plugged directly into the Ethernet?

Not exactly. An Ethernet connection to the Express would provide up to 100 Mbps of bandwidth, whereas, the older 802.11g Express has a maximum bandwidth of 54 Mbps. My comment is that you can achieve the best overall bandwidth over Ethernet if all networking components support Gigabit Ethernet connections.

That would mean the Express, and potentially, the Linksys hub should be upgraded.

Ethernet hubs are not very efficient. You should consider replacing it with an Ethernet switch.

I might have another option -- I have a bunch of other Linksys stuff in a box -- let me check it all out when I get home

You will want to replace the hub with a switch as a minimum. If the switch is Gigabit capable that would be better still.

You appear to have two separate Ethernet cables going from the AirPort Extreme to the Linksys hub. You only need one between these devices. The separate Ethernet cables going from the hub to Express & the Smart TV is okay.

Let me restate this:

Extreme --> iMac and Linksys [2 diff wires]

Linksys [in a perfect world] --> Express and Smart TV [2 Diff Wires]

Is that more clear?

Yes, thank you. In this configuration all data going to the Linksys hub will travel to all devices connected to that hub simultaneously which is not ideal. This is where you would want to replace the hub for a switch. That way data meant for the TV will go to the TV only. The same for data meant for the Express. This is far more efficient.

In this configuration the Express should be reconfigured as a bridge.

I actually managed to get the Express working wirelessly using some old instructions someone gave me -- they use the word "Bridge" several times when directing me -- which is how I got the wireless Express working

Ok, great!

If your goal is to extend the wireless range of the Extreme with the Express, both base stations should be reconfigured for a roaming network.

I don't really understand that to be honest -- I am not sure how to answer. I want to have my TV on the internet... and the Express streaming music into my stereo. Is that extending? Bridging? Something else?

Ok, thanks for clarifying that for me. Since your primary goal is to use the Express for streaming, we do NOT want to configure it to extend your current Wi-Fi network. Instead we will want to reconfigure it as a wireless client per the following Apple Support article.

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